Endangered/Issue 5 (Old)
This is #5 of Endangered ''and is titled ''One Wrong Move. ''It is part 5 of '''Volume 1. ' One Wrong Move The streets of Philadelphia laid motionless as the white, thin snow fell from the air and slowly covered the streets, causing them to grow a thin sheet of ice. Besides the snow the streets where pretty quiet as the snow fell that night, the only noise being the flies that make their way around one of the street lights. The streets were dead. However there was some sound coming from the distance and it grew louder by the second, causing the silence to get overshadowed. Soon enough the silence from the night as the music echoes loud from the bar that sits a few blocks away. The bright lights, the loud music and the roar of entertained young people showed that this place was packed from entrance to exit. Currently the doors swung open and two people stepped out, or in this case it was limp out. A male with dark brown hair and a female with blonde hair made their way out of the bar. Both couldn’t be the age of twenty one yet both were just inside that bar and both were visibly drunk. Sure it was illegal but in a city this corrupt it was pretty normal. Currently the two drunk teens made their way down the street, the male dragging the tired female behind him. All the two wanted to do was get home. “Where are we going honey boo booo.” The girl asks laughing as the man looks around the block, the drunkenness still in his eye. “I.” He begins to say but stops himself as he has no idea what to say. “I don’t freaking know okay bitch..” He says as he stumbles the down the road, a smirk on his face after calling her a bitch. She appeared to take slight, only slight offense, as she laid a few slaps across his arm. However the man, in his drunken state, just laughs it off. This is Michael Nicholson and the girl next to him is Zoey Benjamin, his future wife to be, once high school is finished at least. When the two weren’t drunk they were a loving couple who were currently going through problems, but that doesn’t change the fact that they do love each other. '' ''One of these problems included a baby, or by now a two year old. They had her young, only when they were fifteen. The baby, Sarah, put a damper on their social lives and their own family, who secretly resented the fact they had her so young, can barely hang out with them anymore. '' ''Currently Michael walks, as good as he can in this state, over to his car, where despite his drunk state he is gonna drive home. “You getting in or not?” He spits at Zoey, who appears to try thinking about something. “But we’re drunk..” Zoey mutters to him yet Michael only scoffs. “Just get in.” He says and Zoey doesn’t waste a second to get in afterwords. With Zoey in he speeds the car off, laughing as he does. '' ---- ''“Mommy I’m tired.” The little girl cries loudly, echoing them down the street. The girl couldn’t be older than eleven with her short brown hair, bright eyes and her short height, yet she also seemed scared right now, as did her mother. Her mother kept eyeing the area especially, afraid of what could happen in the dark, especially in this area. “I know, sweatie. We’re almost home.” The mother says back, trying to calm her nerves. She didn’t want her daughter out this late but they had no choice, they been at the hospital all day visiting the daughter’s father, and it was to icy for a car. The daughter just sighs and rubs her tired eyes. This is Victoria Cummings. “Is Daddy gonna be okay?” Vicky asks her mother, who didn’t hear at first because her attention was on the area. However once the question entered her ear she slightly paused, debating if she should be honest or not. Vicky’s father has been diagnosed with bone cancer, and his chances were slim. But she just wasn’t gonna let Vicky know that. “He’s gonna be fine.” She lies to her, wanting to keep her happy. No 5th grader should know that her father is dying slowly and painfully. Vicky seemed to believe her and just nodded happily, along with putting on a smile. “That’s good.” She says “Maybe when he’s out of there we can get some ice cream.” “I’m sure daddy would love that, Vicky.” '' ''“Mommy, what is bone cancer?” Vicky asks and once again the mother tried thinking of a simplified way to tell her. “It’s like…..when your bones are weak and they need to be treated.” “Oh.” Vicky just continues to walk down the street with her mother, kicking the small ball of ice that is at her feet. Slightly shivering she takes a look around the area, seeing it is almost deserted, nothing interesting. That is until of course a black car comes speeding down the street and Vicky watches as it collides into another speeding car. ---- A much younger James Benjamin walks down the dark hallways of college, with a one-strapped back around him. His blonde hair appears to be much more colorful and his eyes are brighter, probably due to less stress now. Another thing about him is that he appears to actually have a smile on his face, he’s happy. The halls itself seem pretty damp. Run down wooden walls, ripped up carpets, and the smell of shit is what ruins across the hall. This college was a piece of crap, mostly due to the troublemakers that run the halls here. Troublemakers like James. With the mischief smile planted on his face he begins to stop his walking and turn it more into a silent, crouched kind of movement. He was up to something big. So silently walking down the hallway he slips his hand into his pocket, gripping onto a small paint can. A spray paint can. With a smile on his face he stops in front of an office door which is labeled ‘Administrator.’ Putting his shirt over his nose he lifts the can and sprays fastly, trying to get every inch of the door. Soon enough his purple paint is all over the door in the shape of something inappropriate, which makes the young jokester laugh. This is a very different James. '' ''“James.” A hushed voice calls from behind him and he turns his head slightly, to see another person dressed similar to him. Jeans, hoodie and a one strapped backpack, except this person is not a man. It’s a woman. His future ex-wife, Emily. “You were supposed to wait for me.” “You were too slow.” James smiles, sliding the paint back in his pocket and walking over to her. “Besides we got many more places to go.” “You're an ass.” She jokes, pretending to punch his arm. “So where’s next.” “Principle Bobby’s office.” James say, pointing down the hall to where another office is. “Good ol’ Bobby the dick.” “Dick? Pft, we all know Bobby a tranie.” Emily remarks to which both her her and James laugh silently out. '' ''“Alright come on.” James says and he begins to walk silently down the halls again. The couple snickers as they sneak down the halls, each moving as slow as can be. This was their definition of fun. Soon enough the couple reached the principal's door and took out their paint cans, each then beginning to spray the door, snickering. What they were drawing could possible get them expelled, and that’s what made it fun. '' ''However as they were spray painting James could suddenly feel the phone in his pocket vibrate. He quickly takes out the phone and prepares to turn it off, but he then notices the caller. Unknown, so he curiously picks it up. “Hello?” “Yes hello. Is this James Benjamin?” “May I ask who is calling?” “Detective Noah Brash.” A detective calling him? James was suspicious. “Are you the brother of Zoey Benjamin?” “Yes, why? “Well sir she was in an accident.” “Is she okay?” James asks, a little panicked. He desperately awaits an answer and Emily stares at him curious. However it takes a minute for the detective to respond. “Well sir, she’s dead.” ---- Michael slowly opens his eyes, his red, bruised eyes to find himself in a strange room. A quiet room. The room had bland, white walls, one desk, and a very uncomfortable mattress. He could instantly tell he was in an hospital, but he doesn’t remember how he got in there. He takes another glance around the room, despite his blurry vision, and he catches sight of two men, yet they weren’t hospital workers. They were detectives. “Evening Mr. Nicholson.” The one said after noticing Michael wake up. “How are you feeling?” “What happened?” Michael ignores his question and instead asks his own. “Well sir,” The female detective spoke up “You were in an accident. Your car collided with another.” “Is Zoey okay?” Michael asks but they ignore him. “You were found drunk on the scene, sir. I hate to say it but-” “Is Zoey okay?” Michael asks again, this time sitting upward more and asking more demanding. Yet the look in their eyes made Michael know something was wrong. “What’s wrong with her?” “Sir she..” The one begins to say and Michael knows what he is going to say, but he tries to deny it. He had to deny it. “She’s in another room? Right?” “Mr. Nicholson she’s dead. Dead on impact.” ---- Michael thinks about that night again as he sits in the bar, about twenty minutes after Tate left. As he takes another sip of coke he still can’t get Tate’s words out of his head. Is there still a chance for him? The words echo through his head and he just sits there thinking. All he wants to do is be there for Sarah. He knew that he wasn’t the best person but he’s been doing his best. Ever since the accident he hasn’t drank a bottle of alcohol, instead using soda to cover up his addiction. It wasn’t a lot but it was something, and there was still many more things he could improve on. That’s when it hit Michael. He was her father, her real father. He deserved to see her, even if she couldn’t stay with him. He had a right to her, no matter what James said. Standing up he throws his money on the table and runs out the door, a new purpose within him. ---- James sits silently in the hospital waiting area, his mischief smile gone and instead replaced with worry, judging by the way he is constantly tapping his foot. His eyes dart around the room and he watches as doctors come and go, just hoping one of them would come talk to him. Yet none of them did. All he knew was that Michael and Zoey were in some sort of accident, and that Zoey was found dead, yet they been trying to revive her. His heart is pounding heavy, and he feels like the world is standing still. He is so stressed out right now, and he is never stressed. '' ''Eyeing down the hallway one more time he notices a doctor walking down the hallway, slowly and heading in James’s direction. The suspense was killing him and he felt like exploding, right up until the doctor was standing right in front of him, his heavy eyes staring down on James. James knew by the expression on his face that it wasn’t good. “Is she dead?” “Im sorry.” The doctor expresses his grief for James and James just sits there for a minute, he doesn’t even know how to react. All he can do is just let a few tears, but he didn’t let it get out of control. “How is Michael?” “Stable, in fact he’s awake.” “Do you know how the accident happened or..” “We found high doses of alcohol in Michael, and we’re guessing he was driving drunk.” James didn’t even know what to think and he just sat there, staring at the wall, hoping everything would turn okay. “Has anyone gotten their daughter?” “Daughter?” “She’s staying with a babysitter at their apartment..” James tells him and he realizes he has to go and get her. How is he gonna tell the baby his mother is dead? And how long will it be before Michael messes up on her. ---- James sits on the couch in his house, awaiting for Sarah to get home. It’s around six o’clock now and she doesn’t have to be home for a while, yet he has nothing else to do. The case is stressing him to much so he just decided to sit on the couch and think. Although the T.V is on he pays no attention to it, instead choosing to just relax his mind. He lays back on his couch and puts his feet up, just hoping he could find some peace. Of course he can never find peace. As he lays there he suddenly hears yet another knock on the door, like he didn’t have enough visitors today. Muttering under his breath he slowly gets off the couch and makes his way over to the door, wondering who the hell would bother him. Opening the door he is met face-to-face with Michael. “Is Sarah here?” “No.” James says, annoyed by his unexpected visit and all the stress. “Why the hell are you here, Michael?” “We need to talk.” “Can this wait?” “No.” Michael says and James can tell he is serious about something, so he opens the door to him. “Come in.” He mutters and Michael follows this gesture by entering the house, while James closes the door behind him. “What do you want to talk about?” “I’m sorry.” Michael blurts out to him. “I’m sorry for all the fucking bullshit.” “You’ve said this a thousand times..” “I mean it. I know I’m a bad person, hell I suck, but we all make mistakes. But I learned from them, I’m a different person.” “I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish.” James wasn’t in the mood for this. “I deserve a second chance. I know it sounds weird but I do, everyone does. And I know that you hate me but-” “Hate you? Michael you took my fucking sister from me! You took Sarah’s mother!” “I know and I have cried myself to sleep ever since. You think it wasn’t hard on me?” “You ruined Zoey’s life.” James spits at him. “She should have graduated high school, went to college, had a real life! Instead she got pregnant at fucking fifteen!” “I know! I’ve ruined lots of people’s lives but-” “You’ve done more than that. You didn’t just ruin a person's life, you ruined your daughters.” “You know what James last I checked you didn’t exactly help Zoey either!” Michael shouts in his face and James can’t take it. The stress, the anger, the regret it’s all building up. He can’t take it. He needs to let it out and suddenly, without even thinking, he swings his fist directly into Michael’s face. Michael stumbles back and holds his cheek, to which he had just punched in the face. He looks up and stares at James, who just holds his fist, not realizing what he just did. Unfortunately Michael couldn’t control his next actions. He dives at James, tackling him into the wall. James, upon being knocked against the wall, quickly kicks at Michael. Michael can’t control himself, even though he’s only acting in self defense. He punches James in the jaw, then the stomach, then the chest. James just snaps, he grabs Michael by the hair and throws him onto the couch. Landing on the couch he watches as James grabs a coat hanger and swings at Michael, and he quickly rolls off the couch. “What the fuck is wrong with you!” Michael screams as he dodges the pole that James swings him, and James doesn’t even know. He just snapped. James swings again and manages to hit Michael in the stomach. Michael however didn’t give up and grabbing the nearest weapon, a cup, he throws it at James. The cup flies past James’s head and smashes into a family portrait, smashing it to pieces. To busy staring at the portrait he didn’t even notice Michael run up and tackle him; causing them to crash right through the glass coffee table. James moans in pain and looks at all the glass on the ground, before looking over at Michael, who was breathing heavily. “Get the fuck out!” James screams and he grabs a piece of glass, digging it into Michael’s shoulder, causing blood to fly. Michael can’t do a thing as he slumps onto the ground. “You ruin fucking everything!” James swings down with the glass shard yet Michael reacts quickly, grabbing his arm mid air. The two struggle over the glass shard until Michael takes the lead and pushes James onto the ground of his own floor, before picking up the shard himself. The now bloody glass shard. Michael can’t help but stare around the wrecked living room. What the hell are they doing? Before Michael could even say a thing he heard a murder piercing scream coming from the doorway. Both he and James turn their heads to find Sarah standing at the doorway, just staring at the two. “Michael, what the fuck did you do!” She screams as she runs to James’s side, leaving Michael to just stand there. “I-” “You ruin everything! Everything!” Sarah screams at him. Michael just wants to say it was all James’s fault, but they were both at blame. “Sarah I-” “Just fucking leave!” Sarah screams at him. “Sarah honey,” James says, sitting up against the couch, “calm down.” “How! How the hell do I calm down!” “Sarah I’m-” “Just leave!” Sarah screams and Michael stares at her for a second, his eyes moist. As much as he wants to prove his innocence he just slowly nods his head and backs out of the room, watching Sarah talk to James. Then he makes a run for it. Out of the house, out the door, and into the night. Once again he just ruined his daughter's life and this time he can’t help but cry as he runs to his car, wishing he would just die in his head. Category:Endangered Issues Category:Issues Category:Endangered